23.1 In the Samvat year 1876, on Posh sud 5 [21st December, 1819], Shreeji Mahãrãj was sitting on a decorated bedstead on the veranda outside the east-facing rooms of Dãdã Khãchar’s darbãr in Gadhadã. He had tied a white feto around His head and was wearing a white angarkhu and white survãl. He had also tied a deep orange shelu around His waist. A sabhã of paramhans, as well as satsangis from various places, had gathered before Him.
23.2 Out of compassion, Shreeji Mahãrãj then began to speak to the paramhans, “The Vãsudev Mahãtmya shãstra is extremely dear to me, as it describes all the methods of how bhaktas of Bhagvãn should worship Him.”
23.3 Shreeji Mahãrãj then continued, “There are two types of bhaktas of Bhagvãn: One bhakta has complete nishchay in Bhagvãn, yet worships Bhagvãn identifying himself with the body. The other, believes his own svarup to be chaitanya, and beyond the influence of the three mental states (jãgrat, svapna, sushupti) and the three bodies (sthul, sukshma, and kãran). This bhakta worships Bhagvãn while seeing Bhagvãn’s murti within his own svarup. As a result, he sees his own svarup, which is beyond the three mental states and the three bodies, as being extremely full of divine light. Within that light, he sees the murti of Bhagvãn, just as it is in its pratyaksha svarup, as being extremely luminous. Such is the sthiti of this bhakta.
23.4 “As long as a person has not attained this sthiti, he is subject to obstacles, even if he is a bhakta of Bhagvãn. For example, Shivji did not have this sthiti and was therefore enticed by the beauty of Mohini. Brahmã also did not have this sthiti, and therefore became attracted to the svarup of Sarasvati. Nãradji also did not have such sthiti, and consequently had a desire to marry. Others like Indra and Chandra, who were not behaving with this sthiti, also had their reputations blemished due to their mistakes.
23.5 “Furthermore, if a person has not developed this sthiti, he will identify worldly characteristics even in Bhagvãn, even if he himself is a bhakta of Bhagvãn. Parikshit Rãjã was not such a bhakta who had this sthiti, and so he raised doubts about the divinity of Shree Krishna Bhagvãn after hearing of the rãs-leelã. On the other hand, because Shukji was such an elevated bhakta, he had no doubts whatsoever. Such a bhakta firmly realises ‘If no flaws can affect me or bind me in any way, how can there possibly be any mãyik flaws in Bhagvãn, by whose worship I have become like this?’ A bhakta with this sthiti firmly realises this.
23.6 “When such a bhakta of Bhagvãn focuses his vrutti on the svarup of Bhagvãn, that vrutti is divided into two. Of these, one vrutti focuses on the svarup of Bhagvãn, while the other focuses within the worshipper himself. The vrutti that is fixed on Bhagvãn’s svarup is applied lovingly, whereas the vrutti that is fixed on the worshipper himself is full of thoughts. This vrutti that is full of thoughts neutralises all other thoughts and desires – except those of worshipping Bhagvãn – that may arise in the worshipper himself. In this way, the vrutti of such a bhakta constantly remains on Bhagvãn.
23.7 “A person who at times worships Bhagvãn with a concentrated mind, and at other times indulges in worldly thoughts, does not develop this sthiti. For example, consider a pot that is filled with water and emptied somewhere. If another pot of water is subsequently emptied at the same place on the following day or the day after that, a pool of water will not collect there. This is because the water poured on the first day dried up on that very day, and water poured after also dries up on that same day. On the other hand, if a trickle of water were to flow continuously, a large pool of water will soon be formed. Therefore, while eating, drinking, walking, and engaging in any activity whatsoever – whether it is pure or impure – in fact, at all times, a person should constantly keep his vrutti of Bhagvãn. While maintaining his vrutti constantly on Bhagvãn in this way, he attains strong sthiti.”
End of Vachanãmrut Gadhadã I || 23 || 23 ||